Thermally controlled face engaging device

Abstract

A face engaging device such as a nozzle, facemask, etc., may include a housing including a fluid channel extending through the housing to an opening configured to be placed in fluid communication with the mouth of a user. The housing may include a first surface configured to be placed in contact with the skin of the user and a second surface exposed to the fluid channel. The face engaging device may also include a thermal actuator supported by the housing and including a first heat transfer surface position on the first surface, where the first heat transfer surface is configured to apply a thermal profile to the skin of the user when the opening is placed in fluid communication with the mouth of the user.

1 . A face engaging device comprising:
 a housing including a fluid channel extending through at least a portion of the housing to an opening configured to be placed in fluid communication with a mouth and/or nose of a user, wherein the housing includes a first surface configured to be placed in contact with skin of a user and a second surface exposed to the fluid channel; and   a thermal actuator supported by the housing and including a first heat transfer surface positioned on the first surface, wherein the first heat transfer surface is configured to be in contact with the skin of the user when the opening is placed in fluid communication with the mouth and/or nose of the user, wherein the thermal actuator includes a second heat transfer surface positioned on the second surface.   
     
     
         2 . The face engaging device of  claim 1 , wherein the first surface is an exterior surface of the housing, and the second surface is an interior surface of the housing exposed to the fluid channel. 
     
     
         3 . The face engaging device of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal actuator is a thermoelectric actuator. 
     
     
         4 . The face engaging device of  claim 3 , wherein the second heat transfer surface includes at least one selected from the group of pins or fins configured to provide convective heat transfer between the thermoelectric actuator and the fluid disposed in the fluid channel. 
     
     
         5 . The face engaging device of  claim 1 , further comprising an inlet connected to the fluid channel at a portion of the housing distanced from the opening, wherein the inlet is configured to allow fluid to flow from an external environment into the fluid channel in response to a pressure differential generated between the mouth and/or nose of the user and the external environment. 
     
     
         6 . The face engaging device of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a liquid reservoir disposed in the housing containing a liquid; and   a liquid heating element configured to selectively vaporize the liquid in the liquid reservoir into the fluid channel.   
     
     
         7 . The face engaging device of  claim 5 , further comprising a pressure sensor configured to detect a change in pressure and/or an absolute pressure, wherein the thermal actuator is configured to apply a thermal profile to the skin of the user in response to the change in pressure and/or absolute pressure reaching a threshold. 
     
     
         8 . The face engaging device of  claim 1 , further comprising a selectively actuable container configured to eject a fluid into the fluid channel. 
     
     
         9 . The face engaging device of  claim 8 , wherein the thermal actuator is configured to apply a thermal profile to the skin of the user in response to actuation of the container. 
     
     
         10 . The face engaging device of  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor configured to detect the temperature of the first heat transfer surface. 
     
     
         11 . The face engaging device of  claim 10 , wherein the temperature sensor is configured to detect a temperature, and wherein the temperature sensor is configured to control the thermal actuator to apply a thermal profile to the skin of the user based at least in part on the detected temperature. 
     
     
         12 . The face engaging device of  claim 1 , further comprising a battery disposed in the housing, wherein the battery is electrically connected to the thermal actuator. 
     
     
         13 . The face engaging device of  claim 1 , wherein a thermal profile applied to the skin by the thermal actuator includes at least one selected from the group of monotonically increasing and rise and hold. 
     
     
         14 . The face engaging device of  claim 1 , wherein a thermal profile applied to the skin by the thermal actuator includes a plurality of thermal pulses applied in succession. 
     
     
         15 . The face engaging device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is a facemask, and wherein the first surface is an interior surface of the housing. 
     
     
         16 . A face engaging device comprising:
 a housing including a fluid channel extending through at least a portion of the housing to an opening configured to be placed in fluid communication with a mouth and/or nose of a user, wherein the housing includes a first surface configured to be placed in contact with skin of a user and a second surface exposed to the fluid channel; and   a thermal actuator supported by the housing, wherein the thermal actuator is configured to apply a thermal profile to the skin of the user when the opening is placed in fluid communication with the mouth and/or nose of the user, and wherein the thermal actuator is configured to transfer heat between the thermal actuator and fluid disposed in the fluid channel.   
     
     
         17 . The face engaging device of  claim 16 , wherein the thermal actuator is a thermoelectric actuator. 
     
     
         18 . The face engaging device of  claim 17 , wherein the thermoelectric actuator includes at least one selected from the group of pins, fins, texturing, and a heat spreader configured to provide convective heat transfer between the thermoelectric actuator and the fluid disposed in the fluid channel. 
     
     
         19 . The face engaging device of  claim 16 , further comprising an inlet connected to the fluid channel at a portion of the housing distanced from the opening, wherein the inlet is configured to allow fluid to flow from an external environment into the fluid channel in response to a pressure differential generated between the mouth and/or nose of the user and the external environment. 
     
     
         20 . The face engaging device of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a liquid reservoir disposed in the housing containing a liquid; and   a liquid heating element configured to selectively vaporize the liquid in the liquid reservoir into the fluid channel.   
     
     
         21 . The face engaging device of  claim 19 , further comprising a pressure sensor configured to detect a change in pressure and/or an absolute pressure, wherein the thermal actuator is configured to apply the thermal profile to the skin of the user in response to the change in pressure and/or absolute pressure reaching a threshold. 
     
     
         22 . The face engaging device of  claim 16 , further comprising a selectively actuable container configured to eject a fluid into the fluid channel. 
     
     
         23 . The face engaging device of  claim 22 , wherein the thermal actuator is configured to apply the thermal profile to the skin of the user in response to actuation of the container. 
     
     
         24 . The face engaging device of  claim 16 , further comprising a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of at least one side of the thermal actuator. 
     
     
         25 . The face engaging device of  claim 24 , wherein the temperature sensor is configured to detect a temperature, and wherein the temperature sensor is configured to control the thermal actuator to apply the thermal profile to the skin of the user based at least in part on the detected temperature. 
     
     
         26 . The face engaging device of  claim 25 , further comprising a processor configured to receive the detected temperature from the temperature sensor, and wherein the processor is configured to operate the thermal actuator. 
     
     
         27 . The face engaging device of  claim 16 , further comprising a battery disposed in the housing, wherein the battery is electrically connected to the thermal actuator. 
     
     
         28 . The face engaging device of  claim 16 , wherein the thermal profile includes at least one selected from the group of monotonically increasing and rise and hold. 
     
     
         29 . The face engaging device of  claim 16 , wherein the thermal profile includes a plurality of thermal pulses applied in succession. 
     
     
         30 . A method of operating a face engaging device including a thermal actuator, the method comprising:
 placing an opening of a housing of the face engaging device in fluid communication with a mouth and/or nose of a user, wherein the opening is connected to a fluid channel extending through the housing;   applying a thermal profile to skin of the user with the thermal actuator supported by the housing when the opening is placed in fluid communication with the mouth and/or nose of the user;   drawing fluid through the fluid channel and into the mouth of the user; and   transferring heat between the thermal actuator and the fluid passing through the fluid channel.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein transferring heat from the thermal actuator to the fluid passing through the fluid channel includes transferring the heat through convection via at least one selected from the group of pins, fins, texturing, and a heat spreader. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein drawing fluid through the fluid channel includes generating a differential pressure between the mouth and/or nose of the user and a baseline pressure, wherein the fluid flows through an inlet connected to the fluid channel at a portion of the housing distanced from the opening. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising vaporizing liquid contained in a liquid reservoir disposed in the housing into the fluid channel. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising detecting a change in pressure and/or an absolute pressure sensor reaching a threshold. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the thermal profile is applied in response to the change in pressure and/or absolute pressure reaching the threshold. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising ejecting a fluid into the fluid channel, wherein the thermal profile is applied when the fluid is ejected into the fluid channel. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising detecting a temperature of at least one side of the thermal actuator. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the thermal profile includes at least one selected from the group of monotonically increasing and rise and hold. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the thermal profile includes a plurality of thermal pulses applied in succession. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the thermal actuator is a thermoelectric actuator.